Kathryn Gonyea
Year started program: 2007
Program name: Cellular And Molecular Pathology
2007 - B.S. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University

I became aware of research at the University of Pittsburgh at the Pitt-Michigan State football game in the Fall of 2006. The ad on the Big Screen made it seem that Pitt might be a good fit for me. While interviewing I talked to a variety of cancer researchers and knew this was the place for me. I knew I wanted to be involved in cancer research, but I didn't know what area. The Interdisciplinary Program gave me the option to rotate in labs that had a unique approach to cancer research.

I am currently working on a folate efflux protein, ABCG2, that is involved in the multiple drug resistance phenotype and the effect that varying doses of folic acid has on ABCG2 expression. I am trying to determine the epigenetic mechanism(s) of ABCG2 expression in prostate cancer cells. I have also been working on identifying a novel retrovirus in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Publications
Abstract, Identification of a novel retrovirus and global genome hypomethylation in benign prostatic hyperplasia, Society for Basic Urologic Research Annual Meeting 2008

View All Featured Students